World War II Honoree

Vida Jo Niebuhr

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Reedsburg, Wisconsin

Honored By

Barbara Jo Niebuhr Crocker & Gary Warren Niebuhr

Relationship

Niece & Nephew

A 1932 GRADUATE IN PHYSICAL EDUCATION OF LACROSSE STATE TEACHERS COLLEGE IN LACROSSE, WISCONSIN. IN 1938 SHE GRADUATED FROM THE D.T. WATSON SCHOOL OF PHYSICAL THERAPY, LEETSDALE, PENNSYLVANIA. JOINED THE NAVY PRIOR TO WWII AND SERVED FOR 3 YEARS AS A PHYSICAL THERAPIST FOR THE NAVAL RESERVE IN MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN AND AT MCKINLEY ORTHOPEDIC SCHOOL IN WEST ALLIS, WISCONSIN. DURING WWII, WHILE STATIONED AT THE NAVAL MEDICAL CENTER, SHE WAS ASSIGNED TO THE WHITE HOUSE AS PRESIDENT FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT’S PERSONAL PHYSICAL THERAPIST. FOLLOWING NAVAL SERVICE SHE WORKED AS A PHYSICAL THERAPIST FOR THE VETERANS ADMINISTRATION IN WASHINGTON, D.C. AND IN 1954 BECAME CHIEF PHYSICAL THERAPIST IN THE CLINICAL CENTER OF THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF HEALTH, BETHESDA, MARYLAND. SHE WAS A CAPTAIN IN THE COMMISSIONED OFFICERS CORPS OF THE U.S. PUBLIC HEALTH AND HELD VARIOUS OFFICES IN THE WISCONSIN AND WASHINGTON, D.C. CHAPTERS OF THE AMERICAN PHYSICAL THERAPY ASSOCIATION. SHE RETIRED IN 1971 TO HER NATIVE WISCONSIN.